Today’s Gospel says: “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off…if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off… if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.”You may respond: “Really? I thought the Gospel was good news.” We must remember that the Gospel writers used a variety of literary styles to emphasize various truths. The verse quoted above is a good example. It not only catches our attention, it startles us. This is Mark’s way of saying that you need to avoid anything that distracts you from following Jesus. It applies to an individual’s behavior and how this type of behavior can ruin a person and the Church as the Body of Christ. We have seen how the poor example of members of the church has recently had a negative effect on the whole church.
This is Francis Week and there are several events we have planned to celebrate our patron’s feast day. Check the schedule and please come and celebrate with us! This amazing man, Francis of Assisi, has much to say to us today.
Recently, there have been a number of incidents after Masses on Sunday. One Sunday a drunken man was stopped in the lobby of the Education Building. The security guard tried to prevent him from entering the building, but the man was able to enter and subsequently smashed a window with a fire extinguisher. The following Sunday a woman snuck down to the lower church and hid until the church was closed. She did not do any damage until she tried to get out and ended up smashing several windows. You can help: “if you see something, say something.”
-Fr. Andrew Reitz, O.F.M.